


Shadows and Tall Trees

by katlynwtf



Category: Naruto, Naruto Shippuden
Genre: Post-Fourth Shinobi War, implied kakayama, will tag as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 05:14:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13116801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katlynwtf/pseuds/katlynwtf
Summary: The Fourth Great Ninja War is over, the conflicts that had torn the world apart for decades seemingly at an end. But from the shadows, a new enemy rises, threatening to destroy the fragile peace the Five Great Nations fought so hard to secure.





	Shadows and Tall Trees

Dawn broke quietly, even the birds making no sound as a lone woman walked through the early morning fog, keeping a leisurely pace as she grew closer to her destination. The weak, pale winter light glinted off the thick blanket of snow that covered the ground, but the traveler was undeterred - in fact, she seemed to be enjoying the cold, in no rush as she walked lightly along the top of the snow, leaving no footprints in her wake.

Up ahead, tall, green painted walls rose high through the fog, the red symbol painted above the gates clearly visible even from this distance. The woman smiled upon seeing it, hitching her pack up on her shoulders and tucking her hands into her pockets. On the outside, it seemed not much had changed in the last seventeen years, but she'd heard the stories - a lot had happened, and things were bound to be drastically different than the last time she'd been home.

Drawing a deep breath of the brisk air, she stopped, the open gates in front of her at last. Two guards stood there, and she did a double take when she noticed their flak jackets - gone were the bulky vests she remembered, replaced with a darker, sleeker version that was certainly more visually appealing. She liked it.

"What's your business here?" one of the guards asked when she met his eyes, gaze curious, wary. She smiled at him, turning her full attention in his direction.

"I have a meeting with the Hokage," she answered, removing her hands from her pockets and holding out a folded letter, which he took and opened. "Personal request from the Hokage, I must be pretty special, huh?" She chuckled at her own joke, but the guard did not.

"Go on in," he finally said, handing her the letter back, holding onto it for a second longer and giving her a stern look. "No funny business, you hear?"

"You got it," she replied, giving him a small mock salute, tucking the letter back into her pocket and walking past him through the gates, into the village. She side-stepped a child running by after a cat, pausing in the middle of the street and closing her eyes, inhaling the familiar scent of sizzling barbeque and sweet dango, listening to the laughter of children and the barking of dogs. Everything else may have changed, but those were the sounds and smells of home. She had missed this.

Opening her eyes once more, the woman continued her path through the village, walking as slowly as she had before, head turning left and right as she tried to look at everything - there was so much to see, from the newer design of the buildings to the new additions to the Hokage Rock. She wished she had more time to take it all in, but she was late for her meeting with the Hokage already, and she didn't think a person as important as the Hokage liked to be kept waiting.

The woman forced herself to look forward, quickening her pace until she finally reached a circular red building near the base of the Hokage Rock, opening the front door and hurrying through the building and up the stairs. When she reached the Hokage's office she found two guards standing on either side of the door, much like the gate, though these two were clad in the more familiar Anbu uniform.

"Name and business?" the one on the left in the cat mask asked, holding his arm across the door to bar her entry.

"Kana Nakada, I have a meeting with the Hokage," she answered, holding out her letter again. He took it, giving it a quick scan before nodding and opening the door. "Hokage-sama, your appointment is finally here."

"Way to call me out for being late," Kana grumbled, grinning nonetheless as she stepped through the door and walked up to the desk, bowing politely before the man sitting behind it. "Hokage-sama."

"No need for all of that," he said, waving a hand dismissively as she straightened again. She took a moment to study him, the mess of his silver hair held back by a black hitai-ate, dark, tired eyes studying her as well, the scar that bisected his left eye from the bottom of his hitai-ate to the top of his mask... He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it - which, with a face like that, made absolutely no sense. That was quite a memorable face.

Her eyes snapped up to meet his when he cleared his throat, and she could feel her ears heat up in response. She mumbled an apology, clasping her hands behind her back and shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. She paused when he rested his elbow on the desk, fingers covering his left eye as he leaned his head into his hand. It struck her then, why he looked so familiar.

"You were shorter and had a Sharingan last I saw you," Kana said with a smile, stilling. "Seems it's not just the village that's changed. Good to see you, Kakashi."

"Took you long enough," he replied, mask bunching slightly as he smiled beneath it in return, lowering his hand back to the arm of his chair. "Good to see you, too, Kana. It's been a minute."

"A minute?" Kana chuckled, shaking her head. "Been a bit longer than that, I think. You used to be better at keeping time. You also used to be a lot more to the point - while I'm happy to keep reminiscing if you want, you could simply tell me why you asked me to come see you as soon as I got home?"

"You're as blunt as ever," he answered after a moment, resting both elbows on the desk and leaning forward with a low chuckle. "I wanted to see you about your debrief, and then I want to inform you about your reintegration training. When you wrote and said you were coming back, you also said you wanted to return to being a shinobi. Since you've been away seventeen years, there are certain steps we need to take to assess your loyalty to the village and your ability to return to active duty. I'm sure you understand." He paused when the door opened, eyes fixing on a point somewhere behind her. "Genma."

Kana turned her head to see a man walk in, shoulder-length brown hair held back by a hitai-ate worn backwards like a bandana, brown eyes darting around the room, taking in everything in seconds before landing on her. There was something metallic between his lips, a senbon perhaps, and he carried himself with an almost lazy sort of confidence, the kind that immediately drew attention. This was the man Kakashi called Genma - Shiranui, if she recalled correctly, a former classmate of hers from the Academy.

"Kakashi-sama," Genma greeted the Hokage, bowing his head as he stepped up next to Kana, glancing over at her again, sizing her up. "This her?"

"Kana Nakada," Kakashi introduced her. "Kana, Genma Shiranui. Starting tomorrow, you'll be stuck with him. He'll be overseeing your skill assessment. And Genma, what have I said? Drop the 'sama'."

"You make being stuck with me sound like such a bad thing, Kakashi-sama," Genma said, flashing an easy grin at Kakashi, who rolled his eyes at the gesture and his continued use of his honorific. "Sorry for dropping in unannouced, but there's a small situation that requires your attention."

"It never ends," Kakashi sighed, shaking his head. "I'll be right there. Send in Yamato." Genma bowed his head and left, leaving Kana alone with Kakashi. A moment later, the door opened again, and one of the Anbu guards from the hall walked in.

"Hokage-sama," he said with a bow, pulling off his mask as he straightened. His face was blank, but his brown eyes were curious as he glanced over at Kana.

"I've been called out on an urgent matter, I need you to handle Kana's debrief," Kakashi told him, getting to his feet and lifting his white robe from the back of his chair. Kana watched him walk around the desk only to stop at Yamato's side, leaning in to whisper something in his ear.

"I understand," Yamato replied to whatever it was that was said. Kana didn't miss the subtle shift in his body language, the way the muscles of his face tightened and his spine stiffened. He didn't like what he was hearing, and he was trying not to show it. A moment later, Kakashi left, and Yamato turned to Kana.

"So. Yamato, right?" Kana stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest as she sat on the edge of the desk, stretching her legs out and crossing them at the ankle. "What do you want to know?"

She had a feeling her debrief would take a while, so she wasn't surprised to find herself sitting in the office for hours, answering every question about her time away from the village that Yamato asked of her. At some point, Kakashi returned, sitting quietly in his chair with his book, and though Yamato would surely relay everything to him later, she could tell Kakashi was listening to everything she said.

Finally, they finished, and there was a soft _snap_ as Kakashi closed his book. Pushing off the desk, Kana turned to look at him.

"How troublesome," he said, lacing his fingers and resting his chin atop them, heaving a sigh. "Well, no use worrying about it now. You need rest and I have plans, so we'll meet again tomorrow at dawn to discuss your training drill. Dismissed."

Bowing her head, Kana turned and left, pausing when she heard Kakashi's voice again, asking Yamato to stay - she wondered briefly if his plans involved Yamato, but decided it was none of her business and continued on her way.

Though, if Yamato was in the picture beyond being Kakashi's guard, that would certainly complicate matters. But as Kakashi had said, there would be plenty of time to worry about it later.

Sighing, Kana exited the Hokage's tower, tucking her hands into her pockets as she made her way through the village once more. She'd been so excited to be home, but between her weariness from the road and her meeting with Kakashi and Yamato, she was exhausted. She just wanted to go home and sleep.

Even after all this time, the path home was as familiar as ever, her feet carrying her down it almost of their own accord until she stood before her childhood home. It had fallen into disrepair, the house itself full of holes, the yard overgrown. The only thing untouched by time was the front door, the red wood as vibrant as the day Hiroki had painted it.

Hiroki. Not a day had gone by that she hadn't thought of him. She wondered what had become of his body, if it had been taken away or if he'd been buried in the cemetery. She would make the trip to the cemetery to figure it out later. For now, though... She walked up the path until she could touch the front door, forming a series of hand signs before planting her palms against the door.

The wood creaked beneath her hands as her chakra rippled through it, new wood flowing across the holes in the house until every one was patched. When she stepped back, the old home looked as good as new.

Kana exhaled slowly, flexing her fingers as she released the Mokuton jutsu. It still felt so alien - a part of herself, and yet something that didn't _really_  belong to her. She didn't think she'd ever get used to it. Clenching her hands into fists and trying to ignore the feeling of the Mokuton still buzzing pleasantly through her chakra pathways, she slid open the front door and stepped inside. A second set of hand signs created a burst of wind that cleared the living area of dust, and she wasted no time pulling her bedroll from her pack and laying it out. She could wash away the dirt of the road and ready the bedroom later - for now, she laid her weary bones down on the bedroll and closed her eyes.

The sleep she'd denied herself most of the journey to Konoha came quickly, and she surrendered herself to her dreams.

\- - -

The next morning found Kana walking back into the Hokage's office, stifling a yawn as she nodded a greeting to Yamato, posted just inside the door this time, and again to Kakashi as she approached the desk.

"Kana," he greeted her, his own yawn evident behind his mask. He looked just as unhappy about being here this early as she felt. "Good morning. We're just waiting for Genma."

"Of course he's late," she muttered with a sigh, shaking her head. From what she remembered, Genma had always been a little too laidback - never when it counted, but often in moments that were inopportune for others. "Had I known he was going to be so inconsiderate, I would have slept longer."

"That's rude." Genma's voice came from behind her, and she turned to look at him, shrugging one shoulder in response to his statement. "Seems you're cranky in the mornings, Kana. I'll have to remember that."

"Good of you to join us, Genma," Kakashi greeted the tokujo, and Kana could see his eye twitch as he tried not to roll them. "Behave yourself, don't make me regret putting Kana with you for the next few days."

"Of course, Kakashi-sama," Genma replied, grinning at the Hokage. This time, he did roll his eyes.

"Genma will tell you the details on the way to the training ground," he said, resting his chin in his hands. "You have two days for this exercise, I want you to show Genma everything you're capable of. Remember, this determines whether you get to return to active duty, so don't hold back. And Kana..." His eyes focused on hers, narrowing slightly. "That includes the Mokuton."

Kana cocked her head, but didn't bother pretending she was surprised - she'd felt no chakra signatures following her home last night, but now that she was paying attention, she couldn't sense Yamato's chakra. Kakashi must have had him follow her. So much for her secret.

"Maa, you know why I didn't tell you," Kana replied, giving Kakashi a cheeky grin. He did not return it. "We may go way back, but it's been seventeen years. I don't know if I trust you, you have to earn that. But I'm sure we'll get there."

"Fine." Kakashi heaved a sigh, closing his eyes. "Genma, you're in charge of her now. Try to behave yourself, and Kana, try not to punch him." He dismissed them, and Genma, whose smile had fallen in surprise when Kakashi revealed she had the Mokuton, grinned at her once more.

"I'm not as bad as that one makes me out to be. Perfect gentleman," he promised, falling into step beside her as they left the office.

"The way you were checking out my ass as you came in suggests otherwise," Kana replied, returning his grin with a knowing look, and he chuckled, the low sound soft and pleasant. "So, you have me for two days. What are we doing?"

"We're meeting up with a few other teams in the Forty-Fourth Training Ground." Genma opened the front door of the Hokage's tower for her, retaking the lead once they were outside. "It'll be you and me against the others, we're going to test your combat, tactical, and survival capabilities."

"Two days in the Forest of Death?" Kana said, shuddering as she recalled her last journey into that particular training field. Even now, she could almost feel the leeches attached to her skin. "Can't say I'm looking forward to that one, but I suppose it's better than the week spent in there for the Chunin exams. That gave a whole new definition to the word hell." Genma hummed in agreement, which she felt no need to respond to, and they fell into comfortable silence the rest of the walk to the training grounds.

Twenty other shinobi were waiting outside the gate to the Forty-Fourth Training Ground, all dressed in Anbu grey, masks similar to the Hokage's pulled up over their mouths and noses, holding white masks with red markings in their hands.

"The goal is to collect as many masks as you can before the forty-eight hours is up, using whatever means necessary. Short of killing, of course," Genma said, taking one of the masks and holding it up. "Once their mask is taken, they're considered eliminated and will no longer attack you."

"What's your role in this exactly?" Kana asked, crossing her arms over her chest, staring at him expectantly.

"For the duration of this, you're my superior," he answered, rolling his senbon from one side of his mouth to the other. "They're here to test your combat abilities, I'm here to test your ability to lead. Ready up, we're going in in five."

Grateful that she'd prepared for an immediate start, Kana checked her supply pouch, counting her senbon and kunai, assessing the various poisons she carried. Most were too dangerous to use in a training situation, so she selected two small vials - one contained a paralytic poison that attacked the chakra points to render her opponent immobile, while the other contained a poison of the more hallucinogenic variety, mimicking the effects of a genjutsu. Both would come in handy, though she was running low - she'd need to create more soon.

Satisfied with her preparations, she walked over to where Genma was instructing the Anbu, who scattered upon her approach. Genma turned to face her, grinning once more.

"Ready?" he asked, and she nodded curtly in response. "Good. Let's go."

Kana followed as he led the way through the gate, pausing long enough to chain it shut behind them, and then they set off into the depths of the Forest of Death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy here's my new OC story! I'm pretty excited about it, Kana has quite the interesting backstory and I can't wait to reveal more as the story progresses :) I hope you like it!

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Naruto and all recognizable characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Kana Nakada and other OCs are creations of my imagination. Title comes from a U2 song of the same name.
> 
> I thrive on feedback! Comments, constructive criticism, and kudos are always appreciated.


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